Hello Howard & All,
Thanks for the email Howard! Will see what I can do!

Thanks to Jim Fsicher for his information which rings true except the 
problem has been taken to DC. instead of the state level.

Remember Howard a trip to DC many think will solve their problems. Has not 
been my experience.

Is the finding of varroa in your area a real crisis? A huge problem for the 
queen producers? I certainly would not want to see my tax dollars spent on 
such a depopulation.


If as Jim says the queen producers cover your losses then why not? You might 
even come out ahead of the game.
if both groups come to an agreement than you really do not need to involve 
the USDA and simply depopulate your islands bees and try to eleminate all 
feral colonies. I still say a big waste of time and resources and doomed to 
failure *in the long run* but why involve the Usda?

I have to wonder (based on the amounts you provided) if the queen producers 
would consider the possible future varroa problem serious enough to fork 
over they amount of money you want.

I have been involved with trying to get the *powers that be* to compensate 
beekeepers for decades and other than the old indemnity program ( $18 a 
hive) all doors were shut in our faces.

Even efforts in DC to get compensation for hives lost in Katrina failed. No 
help for those beekeepers which kind of surprised me. In fact beekeepers do 
not even enjoy many of the farm programs other ag people do! We are in the 
words of my friend David hackenberg "the red haired stepchild of 
agriculture".

My best guess is the queen producers will not want to come up with the money 
to pay for the losses and DC will not provide the money as the arrival of 
varroa in most areas of the world will in most opinions happen in time.

bob

" thinking trips to DC without bearing gifts usually will only get a senator 
handshake" 


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